14 Ways to Have Energy All Day Long

Do your batteries drain in the middle of the day? Welcome to the afternoon-slump club. While serving yourself a second (or third) cup of coffee may seem like the easiest solution, these strategies are proven to perk you up all day, every day. Try one or two of these challenges each week until they all become regular habits.

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Avoid morning madness.

Waking with more energy is key to staying energized throughout the day. You may need a foghorn to get you out of bed, but when you wake in a panicked state, you use up a hormone called cortisol, which is released throughout the day to help give you energy. This means you'll have less to keep you energized for the rest of the day and should consider a smarter and softer wakeup call. Some alarm clocks use soft sounds or music so you're not jerked alert in a frenzy.

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Stop hitting snooze.

The short bursts of sleep you get in between grappling with the snooze button fragments your REM sleep—the most restorative period. This disrupts your body clock so you feel drowsy during the day and have a hard time nodding off at night, resulting in a cycle of sleepiness.

If you're not ready to bound out of bed, hit the snooze button just once and use those few minutes to wake yourself up slowly with a few gentle stretches. Another solution is to move your alarm clock.Position it so you have to get out of bed (and even walk across the room) to turn off the alarm. And once you're up, don't lie down again. Write a note and leave it by your alarm reminding yourself to stay up.

Hear us out: It's hard to believe, but to get the most of your coffee jolt, sip your first cup about 1½ to 2 hours after you wake up. If you start any earlier, it might actually weaken the caffeine's effect. You can blame that on cortisol—you may know it as the stress hormone, but it's also a natural stimulant. Cortisol levels are highest in the early morning, so if you consume caffeine when you don't need it as much, your body may end up producing less cortisol and attempting to lean more on the java to make up the difference.

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Have a second lunch.

Most people tend to get hungry every three to four hours, so if you eat breakfast at 8 A.M. and lunch at noon, your body needs to chow down again around 3 P.M. or you risk getting that fuzzy, tired feeling. But don't just reach for a bag of pretzels. For a sustained release of energy that lasts until dinnertime, make this midday snack a mini meal that contains a balance of protein, fat and complex carbohydrates. Aim for approximately 300 calories—enough to keep you satisfied but not stuffed (you may need to trim calories elsewhere to fit in this snack). Try a peanut butter and honey sandwich on whole-wheat bread with a glass of lowfat milk or a granola bar, yogurt and some apple slices. You'll stave off fatigue and you'll be far less likely to binge on junk food later in the day.

Jotting down what you're thinking about right before slumber sends your mind racing when it really should be powering down (who wants to toss and turn all night about tomorrow's to-do list?). Instead, allocate 10 or 15 minutes after your midday meal to make a list of what you need to get done, write out any concerns and create action plans. This will allow you to have better-quality zzz's (thanks to fewer nighttime worries), so you can feel more alert during the day.

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Set a sleep-time alarm.

Of all the sleep tips you read, the most important one is to stick to a schedule. Turn in at the same time every night, wind down an hour beforehand, and wake up within an hour of the same time every day—even on weekends. Set your alarm to ring about 30 minutes before you plan to hit the sack to give yourself time to start winding down, turning off your electronics and getting ready for bed. This will help you lose the fall-asleep-on-the-couch habit or the "Why am I up at midnight?" situation, and get your biological clock in sync.

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Stop the thermostat wars.

If you and your family bicker about the temperature, know this: One small study found that people who snoozed in temperatures that gradually increased from 55.4°F to 77°F didn't sleep as deeply as the temperature went up. Lower the thermostat to around 65°F about an hour before bed so your room has time to cool down.

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Do some deep breathing in bed.

Meditating for 5 to 10 minutes can clear your mind and help you get to a restful place. Inhale and exhale slowly through your nostrils, then focus on different parts of your body from head to toe, becoming aware of tension and releasing it.

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Bump up your walks to 20 minutes.

Walking for 10 minutes a day is great (one study shows this amount helps you increase energy for a 2-hour period), but every other day extend your strolls to 20 minutes. Researchers at the University of Georgia found that sedentary people can boost energy levels up to 20% and decrease fatigue by 65% by engaging in low-intensity exercise, like walking, for 20 minutes three times a week. While any time is good to hit the pavement, a.m. workouts may lead to slightly better sleep at night, according to a small study. Evenings are fine, too, as long as you don't go out within an hour or two of bed, which can keep some people up.

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Fit in easy activity.

You might assume that working out on low energy will further drain your batteries, but the opposite is true: Research has found that a single, moderate-intensity sweat session (such as a 20-minute bike ride or a brisk walk) can significantly boost energy levels in about 90% of people. What's more, the effect is usually immediate and lasts at least an hour. But this isn't the time to overdo it—longer or more intense workouts can leave you feeling exhausted, so keep it short and simple.

Give yourself a caffeine-free kickstart with a stretch that boosts flow to your brain to wake you up quickly in the middle of the day. RAG DOLL: Stand with feet hip-distance apart and knees very slightly bent. Fold forward at the waist, head hanging toward the floor. Fold arms together and grab opposite elbows, then breathe slowly, allowing the weight of your head to stretch your neck. Sway side to side for three deep breaths, then sway forward and backward for three breaths.

Two minutes of skipping significantly increases energy levels, according to a study published in Biofeedback. (Oh, just do it!)

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Stand up straight.

Maintaining an upright posture can improve your mood and energy levels, say scientists at San Francisco State University.

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Opt for energy boosting eats.

BREAKFAST: Use yogurt instead of milk in whole-grain cereal. Plain Greek varieties have twice as much protein as milk. Top your bowl with fiber-filled berries, which also help deliver sustained energy.

AFTERNOON PICK-ME-UP: Eat cucumbers and hummus instead of pretzels and chips. Highly processed snack foods cause blood sugar to spike, then crash, leaving you more sluggish. Veggies and protein give you a lift minus the drop.

BEDTIME SNACK: Try peanut butter on toast with a sprinkle of cinnamon instead of cookies. Opt for carbohydrates and protein, not saturated fat and sugar, which are linked to more disturbed sleep.

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